Device for the mechanical treatment of the vertebral column and its bone connection organs



June 11, 1968 H. SCHMIDT 3,387,605

' DEVICE FOR THE MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN AND ITSBONE CONNECTION ORGANS Filed July 22, 1966 a Sheets-Sheet 1 June 11,1968 H. SCHMIDT 3,387,605 DEVICE FOR THE MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF THEVERTEBRAL COLUMN AND ITS BONE CONNECTION ORGANS Filed July 22. 1966 6Sheets-Sheet 2 #6 722 idmm'clf MW AW.

June 11, 1968 H. SCHMIDT DEVICE FOR THE MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF THEVERTEBRAL COLUMN AND ITS BONE CONNECTION ORGANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledJuly 22. 1966 In venfor:

June 11, 1968 H. SCHMIDT 3,387,605

DEVICE FOR THE MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN AND ITS BONECONNECTION ORGANS Filed July 22, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Invenfar: HewzzSal-mulch June 11, 1968 H. SCHMIDT 3,387,605

DEVICE FOR THE MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN AND ITS BONECONNECTION ORGANS Filed July 22, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 In van/qr: Heinz:56;]??? wlt June 11, 1968 H. SCHMIDT 3,387,605

DEVICE FOR THE MECHANICAL TREATMENT OF THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN AND ITS BONECONNECTION ORGANS Filed July 22, 1966 T s Sheets-Sheet e In venfor:Hem-(z Sal-"nit y United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Devicefor the mechanical extension treatment of the vertebral column and itsbone connection organs which includes the main casing, together withmechanism to support the patient to be treated on a swinging part,together with mechanism to operate the swinging movement and holders forthe shoulders, head and legs of the patient.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of my patent applicationSer. No. 93,596 filed Mar. 6, 1961, now abandoned, and its purpose is abetter explanation as well as a further development and improvement ofthis invention.

The present invention relates to a device for the me chanical treatmentof the vertebral column and its bone connection organs, viz. of thepelvic ring, the shoulder belt and the occipu-t region. Such mechanicaltreatments serve above all for eliminating the consequences ofintervertebral disk damages, of vertebral column deformations' or otherroot irritation syndroms.

The main purpose of the invention is toimprove the known devices of thecited type. It is a particular object 5 of the invention to simplify andto improve the apparatus according to my mentioned main invention ofMar. 6, 1961, and to make its operation simpler and more versatile.

An essential purpose of the invention is to control all the desiredextension movements and other functions of the device in a simplemanner, to adjust easily all parts and to make possibly any movementcombinations. These movements shall always be feasible and rcproduceableaccording to a predetermined programme. a

A further object of the invention is to make the mode of operation ofthe aparatus and all its functions still more noiseless and smoother aswas the case up to now.

A further object of the invention is to obtain the essential movementsof the device by means of pressure mediums, preferably hydraulically bymeans of pressure oil, whereby the value of the pressure and the time ofthe pressure effect on the parts to be moved of the device shall bevariable and easily adjustable.

A purpose of the invention is, furthermore, to obtain the upward anddownward movement of the swinging part of the device carrying thepatient preferably hydraulically by pressure means.

A further object of the invention is to control the extension forceswhich act on the shoulder belt and/ or the head of the patient bypressure means preferably hydraulically and to vary them at will and tocombine them with each other and with other movements of the device inany manner.

A further object of the invention is to control, to vary at will and tocombined with other movements preferably hydraulically, the movement ofthe knees and of the legs of the patient by means of a pressure medium.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device by means ofwhich the head of the patient can be turned to and fro at willpreferably on an adjustable arc of circle, whereby the means for therotation shall be operated pref- "ice erably by pressure medium or oilpressure respectively. A further purpose of the invention is to providemeans for lifting and lowering the head of the patient.

A further object of the invention is to transmit the 5 vibrationmovements of a vibrator to a vibration plate carrying the rump of thepatient in such a way that the vibrations are always directed verticallyupward independent upon the tilting position of this vibration plate.

These objects and further single problems are obtained and solved bymeans of the invention, whereby a practical embodiment is describedhereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings. The differentfeatures of the invention may possibly 'be used also singly or in anycom- 'bination.

One embodiment of the device is shown as an example in the accompanyingdrawings:

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through the complete device,

FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the device according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a front view of the head rotating device seen in the directionof the arrow A of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a vertical section through the device along the line B-C ofFIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of the hydraulic conduit of the device.

Th device consists of the elements mentioned hereinafter: the main bodyor casing 1 in which the oil tank 2 with the hydraulic oil pump 3, thedrive motors 4 as well as the vibrator 5 which can be adjusted as to itsnumber and amplitude of oscillations with its drive motor 6 and themagnetic valves 7 for the electric control as well as the safety valve 8and the pipings 9 are arranged. The oil tank is closed with are movablecover 10. This cover is provided with a ventilating filter 11.

The second main body is the upper swinging part 12, in which all thefunction devices are incorporated or applied. The swinging part 12 isconnected by two bearing blocks with swing ball bearings 13 with themain body 1. The swinging movement is carried out by an oilhydraulically operated differential cylinder 14. This latter is movablyfastened 'by means of a fork part 15 on the fastening piece 16 :and bolt17 in the piston rod 18. There is likewise fastened a forked part 19which is connected by means of a bolt 20 on the fastening piece 21 withthe swinging part 12. When moving outward the piston rod 18, theswinging part 12 moves downwards at the head side and when the pistonrod 18 is retracted downward at the foot end.

The vibration plate 22 is adapted in the surface 23 facing upward with aclearance of about 5 mm. around it and is fastened in the swinging part12 by each of lateral horizontally arranged rubber buffers 24. From thevibration plate 22 two holders 25 extend downward in the form of a fork.In these holders 25 there is fastened exactly in the intersection pointa bolt 26. On the bolt a ball bearing 27 is arranged which is connectedwith a casing 28 by means of a rubber buffer 29 with the vibrator rod30. The vibrator 5 with the motor 6 and a V-belt 31 is carried on rubberbuffers 32 and is fastened on brackets 33 in the main body 1.

Between the distance plates 34 and 35 there are two tubes 36 parallellyspaced behind each other, in which the longitudinally adjustable guiderods 37 with teeth for the length adjustment at the foot side and 38 forthe length adjustment at the head side are mounted. The lengthadjustment is carried out by a blockable shaft 39 with pinion 40. On thesmooth thinner ends 41 the holders 42 for the knee rollers 44 adjustablein their height by the lever arm 43 are moving. A hydraulic piston 45 isalso incorporated in the holder 42. This piston is fastened by means ofa piston rod 46 by a connection piece 47 on the guide rod 37. If oil ispressed by the hydraulic pumps through the perforated piston rod intothe cylinder space 48, the knee roller holder 42 is shifted forward onthe ends 41. When the oil pressure is released, a spring 49 presses backthe holders 42 in the starting position. On the smooth and thinner ends50 (head side) the holding plate 51 is carried shiftably with guidesleeves 52. On the upper part there is arranged on each side a bearing53 with vertically standing pins 54 which are fastened on the arm rest59 and pinned to a lever arm 61.

On the other hand of the lever arm 61 a threaded piece 55 withhorizontally arranged threading (one left hand threading and one righthand threading) is fastened in a vertically rotatable manner. A spindle56 engages likewise with a left hand and a right hand thread in thethread pieces 55. A holder 57 which can be shifted on a guide pin 58 inlongitudinal direction holds the spindle 56 in central position. By arotation of the spindle 56 the arm rests 59 swing inwards or outwards.The tiltable shoulder holders 60 which are rigidly fastened on the armrests 59 may thus be adjusted by means of a crank handle 93 towards themiddle to the desired width. On the holding plate 51 there is alsofastened a cylinder 62 with a piston 63 and a piston rod 64. As thepiston rod 64 is rigidly connected with the toothed guide rod 38 bymeans of a clamping piece 65, oil is pressed by the hydraulic pumpsthrough the piston rod 64 behind the piston 63 and the cylinder 62 isshifted forward together with the holding plate 51. The shoulder holders60 with the arm rest 59 are in connection with each other by thedescribed embodiment and are shifted forward also together with theother parts. Behind the holding plate 51 there is likewise on the smoothends of the guide rods 50 the total mechanism of the head holder whichis partially covered by means of a casing 66. By the cylinder 62 thecasing 66 is connected with the elongated part 67 likewise embodied as acylinder with the holding plate 51, so that in the length adjustment bymeans of the pinion 40 and the rack 38 the head holder is automaticallytaken along in the adjustment. The piston rod 68 and the cylinder 67 is,however, elongated and provided with a thread 69. Thereby it is possibleto obtain by means of a hand wheel 70 a fine adjustment between theshoulder holder 60 and the casing 66 with the head holder. When shiftingthe holding plate 51, thus also the head holder is shifted with it. Inorder to obtain, however, also a stretching movement between theshoulder holders 60 and the head holder by means of the casing 66, thehydraulic pumps press also oil behind the piston 71. When the oilreturns from the piston 63 and the piston 71 the pressure springs 72 and73 press back both function bodies in their starting position. By meansof a hand wheel 74 and a spindle 75 and the nut 76 in the guide piece 77the neck cup can be adjusted in its height.

In order to obtain a stretching movement from the pelvis to the legs andfrom the pelvis to the shoulders and the neck the pelvis cups 78 are notshiftable longitudinally but serve for holding the body and they areadjustable by means of a hand wheel 88 by means of a spindle 79 withleft hand and right hand thread on two guide rods 80 and 81 and theholding pieces 82 with a left hand and a right hand thread eachtransversely towards the middle.

The axis of rotation 83 lies in the middle of the swinging part 12. Thisis simultaneously the fulcrum for the vibrator axle, so that thevibration has its effect when swinging on the foot side and downward inthe direction of the arrow D towards the head side of the patient andwhen swinging towards the head side downwards in the arrow direction Eto the foot side of the patient and has a vertical upward effect inhorizontal position. The number of oscillations is adjusted on the motorregulator 84 and the swinging amplitude is adjusted by means of thelever 85. The swinging range at the foot side and the head side isadjusted with the adjustable stops 86 and 87 which reverse by means of alimit stop switch the magnetic valves for the hydraulic to thedifferential cylinder 14.

A hand wheel 88 is fastened on the spindle 79 and serves for theadjustment of the pelvis cups 78, the holding rods of which are guidedin transverse slots 78 of the plate 23. By means of the hand wheel 89the length adjustment of the knee rollers 44 is carried out by thepinion 40 and the rack 37. The adjustment is blocked by means of acapstan head screw 90. The hand wheel 91 is fastened on the frontextremity of the shaft 39 and serves for the longitudinal adjustment ofthe shoulder holders 60 and the casing 66 with the neck rest and isblocked by means of a capstan head screw 92.

By means of the hand wheel 93 the width adjustment of the shoulderholder 60 and the arm rest 59 is made by means of the spindle 56. Ablocking is not necessary, By means of a rotary knob 94 the return ofthe oil from the piston 71 and by means of the rotary knob 95 the returnfrom the piston 63 is adjusted by means of a throttle. The rotary knob96 serves for the adjustment of the oil pressure on the head tractionand the rotary knob 97 for the adjustment of the oil pressure for theshoulder traction.

By means of the adjustment screw 98 the neck cup 100 can be tiltedforward or backward. The width adjustment of the neck cup 100 is made bymeans of the adjustment through 101. The neck cup 100 consists of twocup halves which can be rotated around a hinge axle 100'. By means of aclamping screw 102 a clamping piece 103 with a guide rod 104 for a chinsupport 105 is fixed on the patient after the adjustment. A clampingscrew 106 serves also for clamping the chin support 105 after the exactadjustment. A regulating screw 107 has likewise left hand and right handthreads and by means of it the width adjustment of the chin support 105is carried out.

For the easier transport and shifting of the whole device four casterrollers 108 are fastened on the bottom of the main body 1. They can beblocked by means of capstan knobs 109.

Handles 110 serve for fixing the lever arm 43 after the heightadjustment of the knee rollers 44. On the two shoulder holders 60removable shoulder holders 111 are shifted on, which serve to keep downthe shoulders of the patient. They are blocked after the adjustment onhandle 112.

On the casing 66 a scale 113 is fastened according to which theadmissible rotation of the head is adjusted by means of knurled stopnuts 114 provided with a pointed part. The stop nuts 114 are adjusted ona thread of the guide rod 1-15. The guide rod 115 is carried :on thecasing 66 in two bearing blocks 116. The smooth ends of the guide bar115 serve as a guide for the cross pieces 117, in which run at a rightangle the guide rods 118. The guide rods 118 establish a connection tothe head holder 123 by means of an articulated piece 119 with sleeve 120and a rotary wing 121 which is fastened on the axle 122. The axle 122 isturned towards the right and towards the left by means of a piston pair140 (FIG. 6) working in opposite direction. As in the reinforcement 124of the upper end of the guide bar 118 there is in each case a blockablebolt 125 forming in the flattened part 126 with the head holder 123 anarticulation, the head holder 123 describes the same radius as therotary wing 121. The neck cup 100 which is fastened in an adjustablemanner but in each case blockably on the head holder 123, must passalong in this rotary movement up to the stop nuts 114. The chin support105 goes likewise along with it and turns thus in common with the neckcup 100 the head of the patient. The guide rods 127 in the casing 66serve for guiding the holding plate 77 on which the piston pair isfastened with its cylinder casing 141 and is adjustable in the height bymeans of the spindle 75 and the hand wheel 74. Thus the neck cup 100 andthe chin support 105 move simultaneously upwards and downwards.

In this manner the height position of the head of the patient can bemodified in respect to the longitudinal axis of the patient. The pistons140 gives the axle 122 and the wing 123 a swinging or rocking movement(see FIG. 6 and FIG. 4), the arrows 90. This movement is transferred bymeans of the rods 118 to the swinging head holder 123 FIG. 4. Thus thehead of the patient can be turned alternatively in a predetermined anglearound a longitudinal axis, that is the neck of the patient.

The vibration is transmitted from the vibrator 5 to the vibrator plate22. The number of oscillations is adjusted, as already described, bymeans of a motor 6 which can be regulated in respect of its number ofrevolution. The motor is carried rigidly on the vibrator casing 6. Fromthe V-belt pulley 128 the rotary movement is transmitted by means of theV-belt 31 to the V-belt pulley 129 of the vibrator shaft 130. On thevibrator shaft 130 there is carried axially shiftable an eccentricsleeve 131. It is secured against rotation by means of a key 132 andmust thus go along in the rotation of the vibrator shaft 130. Theeccentricity of the sleeve 131 is on one extremity zero and offset atthe other extremity so far as the maximum vibration height shall beadjusted. The sleeve is cylindrical on its outside with a bore runningfrom the middle axis of the one extremity to the other out of thecenter. If the oscillation height is adjusted, the sleeve 131 rotatingalong with the vibrator shaft 130 is shifted by means of the lever 85 bymeans of a threaded drum 133, a connection piece 134, an adjustment bar133, a connection piece: 134, an adjustment bar 135 and a glide piece136. The pendulum ball bearing 137 is held in its central position bytwo slide pieces 138. By shifting of the sleeve 131 an infinite heightadjustment of the vibration is possible i.e. of the amplitude of thevibration plate 22. The pendulum ball bearing is carried in a casing139, on which the vibrator rod 30 is fastened. This guide rod leads inthe embodiment already described to the vibration plate 22. Thevibrating means of the vibration plate 22 is shown in FIG. 5 and inFIG. 1. The vibration is produced by the eccentricity of the sleeve 131driven by the motor 6.

Conduit diagram for the hydraulic circuit (FIG. 6)

After switching on the motor 4 the pumps 3 of Pl-PS begin to work. Whenthe valves are not operated, the pumps suck, the oil passes, however,through the pressure limiting valves DBl-DBS because of the adjustedpressure back to the oil tank. If the magnet valve V1 is switched, onepiston of the piston pair 140 moves out. The axle 122 makes a rotarymovement towards the right.

By engagement of the stop a pressure switching device DS2 cuts thecurrent to magnet valve V1 and energizes the magnet valve V2. Therebythe other piston of the piston pair 140 is extended and presses the oilfrom the first piston of the piston pair over a quantity valve M1 backinto the oil tank. When the opposite stop is engaged, the magnet valveV2 becomes dead by a pressure switching device DS2 while V1 i energizedagain. Thereby the first piston is moved out and presses the oil fromthe second piston through the quantity regulator M2 back to the oiltank. This operation is repeated alternatively.

If the magnet valve V3 is switched on, the oil presses behind the piston71. This piston shifts forward the head holder. The desired pressure forthis movement is adjusted on the pressure limiting valve DB6. If themagnet valve V4 is switched on additionally, the oil penetrates throughthe piston rod 73 behind the piston 63 and shifts forward the shoulderholder. The desired pressure for this is adjusted on the pressurelimiting valve DB7. If the magnet valve V5 is switched on additionally,the oil penetrates by means of a controlled non-return valve RV1 to thepiston rod side of the cylinder 14 and the swinging part 12 sinks downfootward. If the adjusted stop angle is reached, the limit switch makesdead the magnet valve V5 and energizes the magnet valve V6, the oilpasses to the piston side of the cylinder 14 and swings the swingingpart 12 headward. The oil flowing back must return through a quantityvalve M3 or M4, so that thereby the speed of the swinging may beadjusted. In order to have the possibility to fix the swinging part 12in any position, the oil must in flowing back into the oil container beopened only automatically by means of a controlled non-return valve RV1or RV2, if a pump pressure is applied from the opposite side. If themagnet valve V7 and V8 are switched on, the oil passes through thepiston rods 47 into the cylinder space 48 and thus shifts forward theknee rollers 44. The magnet valves V7 and V8 can be switched on by theelectric control singly, simultaneously or alternatively. The speeds ofthe forward and backward movement of the knee rollers 45 are adjusted bymeans of the throttle valves D1 and D2.

The cylinder 14 works alternately according to the adjusted treatmenttime. The valves V3 and V4 and alternatively V7 and V8 remain switchedon so long as head, shoulder and leg traction shall remain underpressure. After the course of adjusted time, e.g. between one and tenseconds, these valves become dead again and the springs 46, 72 and 73bring the head-, shoulderand leg traction again into the startingposition. Hereby the return of the oil of the cylinders 67 and 62 isadjustable by means of the quantity regulators M3 and M4. After theengagement of the shoulder supports on a limit switch the magnet valvesV3, V4 and selectively V7 and V8 are switched on again and this isrepeated until the complete treatment time has expired. Thereafter theswinging part 12 passes over into the horizontal position and thenswitches off the complete apparatus.

I claim:

1. A device for the mechanical extension treatment of the vertebralcolumn and its bone connection organs, comprising a main casing, aswinging part for supporting the patient to be treated, which swingingpart being supported on the main casing so that it can be swung upwardand downward around an essentially horizontal axis of rotation, drivemeans in the casing, a differential cylinder and a piston rod for theupward and downward swinging movement of the swinging part around ahorizontal axis of rotation, pelvis cups arranged on the swinging partfor clamping the pelvis of the patient therein, shoulder holders forholding armpits and shoulders respectively of the patient, said shoulderholders being shiftable in an oscillating movement on the swinging partrelative to the pelvis cup in longitudinal direction of the patient,head holders, a neck cup and chin support for clamping the head of thepatient, said head holders being carried to oscillate on the swingingpart relative to the pelvis cups as well as relative to the shoulderholders in a longitudinal direction of the patient, knee holders on thecasing for holding the knees of the patient and which are in the form ofrollers carried adjustably on the swinging part, a vibration platecarried on the swinging part for carrying the rump of the patient and anoscillation generator in the casing to oscillate the vibration plate.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein at least one hydraulic oil pumpis provided in the casing for conveying a pressure medium, a motor fordriving the hydraulic oil pump, a pressure medium cylinder for theoscillating movement of the shoulder holders, at least one pressuremedium cylinder for the oscillating movement of the head holder,pressure medium lines for connecting the pressure medium pump with apressure medium cylinder and means for controlling the pressure medium.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the pressure medium cylinder forthe head holder neck cup and chin support, is coupled with the pressuremedium cylinder for the shoulder holder.

4. Device according to claim 2, wherein the knee hold ers are carriedshiftable to oscillate on the swinging part in longitudinal direction ofthe patient and whereby at least one pressure medium cylinder isprovided for oscillating the knee holders.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the oscillation generator iscarried with its motor in the main casing and is connected by means of avibrator rod with a bearing, arranged in the axis of rotation of theswinging part and wherein the vibration plate is connected with a boltcarried rotatably in the bearings and casing.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein in the swinging part a guide isprovided in longitudinal direction of the device, in which guide a gearrack for an adjustment of the means oscillating the shoulder holder andthe head holder and a gear rack for adjustment of the knee holders arecarried shiftably, whereby the gear racks engage with pinions which arerotatable by means of drive shafts.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pelvis cups are carried byholding pieces, which slide transversely to the longitudinal axis of thedevice on guide rods and can be moved towards each other or away fromeach other by means of a spindle having left hand and right handthreads.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder holders arefastened on arm rests which are adjustable by means of a spindle Withleft hand and right hand threads in order to move the shoulder holderstransversely to the longitudinal direction of the device towards eachother or away from each other.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the head holder is verticallyadjustable by means of a spindle, a nut and a guide piece. I

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for rotatingthe head holder at a predetermined angle around an axis parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the patient.

11. Device according to'claim 10, wherein the head holder, neck cup andchin support is rotatable in both directions around the cited axle by atleast one piston with an oscillating movement of a pressure mediumcylinder.

12. Device according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for varyingthe number of oscillations and the oscillation amplitude of the saidoscillation generator.

13. Device according to claim 1, whereby the knee holders are carriedvertically adjustable on the knee holding parts by means of lever arms.

14. Device according to claim 1, whereby on at least one guide rod isprovided arranged on the swinging part as an aggregate with the completedevice for adjusting the head holder.

15. Device according to claim 14, wherein the distance of an aggregatefor the head holder from the holder for the shoulder holders can bevaried in longitudinal direction of the device by means of a threadedspindle.

16. Device according to claim 2, wherein means are provided for varyingthe pressure of the pressure medium in the pressure medium cylinders forshoulder traction and head traction.

17. Device according to claim 2, wherein means are provided for varyingthe duration of the application of the pressure medium in the pressuremedium cylinders.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,471,675 5/1922 McManis 128-741,529,872 3/1925 Craig l2871 2,217,783 10/1940 Bell 269-322 2,262,27111/1941 De Camp 128-52 2,773,499 12/1956 Zurnieden l2875 3,238,9363/1966 Siedcntop 12824.3

L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

